A Mapperley Stroll
February 3, 2012 in Latest Patch Sightings by ChrisLuv
With Freddie, our new baby, settling in well I decided to take a stroll around Mapperley with some of the paternity leave I have left – the wife was off shopping and I fitted it between jobs. Why Mapperley? Well frankly it had everything I wanted, good birds, potential of some good landscape photography, maybe some snowdrops and also a sit down in the hide. There’s been some great shots taken down there by Maggie and Mick recently and so I thought I’d have my turn. I hope these don’t repeat what those two have shown, as you know I like to push the processing on my shots in my own unique way.
Cold Front Cooper has been leaving everyone a bit chilly and I felt it today, I’m just glad we aren’t in central Europe. The ducks out on the lake were feeling it too.
I took a few photos across the ice, a family or two of Great Crested Grebes were out and about, and close, as well as Coots, Moorhen, Mallard, Canada Geese, Mute Swans and Black Headed Gulls. The fishermen were having to smash ice holes like eskimos, but no seals popped up to see them 
This Grebe is swimming uphill, how strange! Check your tripod’s level kids!
From there I headed on up Shipley Hill, where the wood was brimming with Redwing, creeping through leavefall is almost impossible, and they were moving on when I was well out of photographer range and so I decided to lie in wait for them to come back closer. Of course they didn’t. Its amazing how well that camouflage works in woodland, sometimes I could see the ground moving with leaves being overturned but no birds were in sight. Several times I checked to see if there were no birds in the area in front of me before moving on and then flushed twenty or so, they were almost invisible. I had to make do with a Song Thrush who was more obliging.
Up at Shipley Hill I knew it was still pushing it for Snowdrops, they were out but not quite flowering, perhaps when the sun reached them they might. I took a few shots regardless and lost a lens cap, keep an eye out for it if you’re up there – I scoured the ground for 20 mins and couldn’t find it when I realised it wasn’t in my pocket.
Next stop was at the hide, and I arrived to find two people in there, unusual. So, a bit further away than normal (despite the offers to steal their prime spot) I took some shots of the tits visiting the feeders. Jays, Long Tailed Tits, (male) Great Spotted Woodpecker all strayed within eyesight but not within camera range. Otherwise Coal Tit, Blue tit, Great Tit, Robin, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Mistle Thrush and Blackbird where the birds keeping us entertained.
After winning the cookie competition hands down, I retreated, only to return for my tripod like a wally ten minutes later.
A cracking stroll and please give me some critique on the photos, positive or negative I can take it
Great report Chris. Enough said already about the Grebe
Nothing a quick crop wouldn’t fix so no real problems with this.
Nothing wrong with any of the shots, they all look brilliant. You do need to sort your animal wrangling skills out. Those Ducks are all over the place on the first shot!!
Must get myself out some time soon. Been tied up with other stuff since Christmas.
Did you here Cooper got its name through sponsorship from BMW (you can sponsor weather in Germany apparently). Backfired somewhat as it’s killed dozens of folks in Europe. Actually, probably quite apt as minis have had to be recalled because of a major fault!
Hi Paul, yes the Grebe was spotted late and as it was getting in for midnight I didn’t have time to fix it.
I put a link to the BMW sponsorship thing off Cold Front Cooper above, people can read about it there.
That link didn’t work for me Chris?? I wondered why it was in bold white but nothing happens when I hover over it??
Could others see if it works for them. I’ve had a couple of problems with my lap top recently.
great photos Chris like the snowdrops nice work,
and nice to hear your out with Freddie your new arrival bet you enjoyeed it
take care
mick c
You’ve tempted me Chris! Nice piccies, and the link works for me Paul. Final thing, whereabouts is this hide, sounds like a gold mine!
Thanks, Sam
You have done well Chris. I am No. 1 at subjects swimming up or down hill. I don’t have a straight eye and even using the spirit level on my tripod I still don’t get them straight. I use the grid on the camera too but the subject looks cock-eyed to me so I adjust the camera to straighten it?? You want to see the pictures on the wall in my house:-)
I really like the snowdrops and the slightly OOF woods in the background. Works very nicely. I think I might have removed the stalk in the foreground though as it does draw my eye.
The link works for me too now. Something to do with my anti-virus software??
Sam, the hide in question is near Mapperley Reservoir. Park in the car park and walk down the road towards the reservoir. With the res. to the front right of you there’s a metaled track that goes downhill, behind the wood, on your left. Follow this as it bends around to the left then about 100mtrs further along you’ll see a gate on the right with a path heading into the wood (there’s a boardwalk nearer the hide). The hide is at the end of this short path. It’s a DWT members hide and you need the code to open the padlock. If you’re not a member and you want to check the hide out just drop a post on the site saying when you fancy going and I’m sure someone would go down with you. There is a table which is kept topped up with food through the winter and it’s visited by lots of birds. It’s ridiculously easy to take photos from as the table is only feet from the hide. The hide overlooks a reedbed. There’s been some good sightings from here. Fox is often seen and rare visitors have been Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Water Rail and Marsh Tit. The Great Reed Warbler was also here a few years ago. It’s a bit quieter in summer but can be good for insects and invertebrates. Spring is good for wildflowers.